Dorm 3A
by MissyMaestro
Summary: Hikaru Sulu finds out a 13 year old Russian kid is his roommate. Reluctance turns into friendship. Enterprise crew at Academy shenanigans.
1. Chapter 1

Hikaru Sulu raised an eyebrow at the kid in his dorm doorway. "You lost, bud?"

Confusion passed the boy's face. Milky skin and blonde curls made him look young; he may have been 15. A pack upon his back and a suitcase in one of his hands, the boy blushed and lingered in the doorway. "Zis ees room 3A?"

"Yeah," Sulu replied. His eyebrow quirked up higher. "What are you looking for? Your older brother my room mate? He isn't here yet." It was his first day at StarFleet Academy. He'd claimed the best bunk and desk for himself and only felt a little guilty about it. _You snooze, you lose._ Hikaru put a shirt on a hanger and hung it in the closet. When the boy in the door shifted his weight awkwardly and didn't answer, Hikaru sighed. "What's the matter- don't you speak English? I asked if you're looking for your brother."

"I speak English," the boy replied. "I am assigned to room 3A, too. Right? I theenk I am your roommate."

Hikaru blinked dumbly. "You?" He dropped the clothes he'd been unpacking. "Let me see your paper." He motioned to the paper in the boy's hand. "Paper. Now."

The boy offered it eagerly. "Zey didn't say I'd have a roommate." He grinned excitedly before entering the room and dropping his suitcase. "Wow!"

Sure enough, the kid – Chekov, Pavel Andreievich, Russia, _age 13?!_ , admitted to StarFleet Academy with special permissions – was assigned to be his roommate. Hikaru let his hand and the letter drop to his side. "You're 13?"

"Thirteen, yes," Pavel replied. He climbed into his bunk and peered down over the size. "Zis is so cool!" He vaulted back to the ground and flung open his suitcase. "Zis is going to be so fun!"

"You know most cadets go to college before they come to the Academy." Hikaru stared in disbelief at the kid – six years his junior. His enthusiasm and youth already annoyed Hikaru. "I'm just saying right now that I'm not going to let you copy my work. I'm here to focus on my own work. I'm not a babysitter. I'm the youngest in my family so I don't know how to deal with kids." He gave a stern glance to the kid, who rejected it and continued smiling like he'd won a prize at the carnival.

"I graduated college," Pavel shrugged. "I won't need to copy your work. I got top scores." He nodded and beamed. "Vhat is your name?"

"Hikaru Sulu."

"I'm Pavel. What are your classes?"

Hikaru begrudgingly pointed to the schedule taped above his desk. "Knock yourself out."

Pavel's nose wrinkled and his face set in serious concentration.

Realizing the boy was trying to translate and interpret the saying, he sighed. Hikaru shook his head. "It means go ahead. Take a look."

"Ohh!" Pavel nodded and bounded across the room to the schedule. He slung his backpack off of his shoulders and dug through it feverishly. "I theenk zis is ze same as mine!" Once his own schedule was in his hands, he held it up triumphantly. "Zey are!" He turned back to Hikaru. "I already haff a friend!" He grinned. "We can go to class together. Right?"

"Yeah," Hikaru agreed half-heartedly. He turned back to his suitcase and cursed his luck. _A kid._ It took effort not to sigh in dismay. All summer he'd been dreaming of the adventures he'd have at Academy, the shenanigans, the parties, and of course being number one in every class.

Across the room, young Pavel Chekov was grinning as he began to unpack. "I'm awfully glad to be your roommate, Hikaru!"

"That makes one of us."

Later that night, Hikaru climbed into his bunk and flopped into the bed with a sigh. The first day orientation events had been an awkward mess of ice breakers and team building exercises. Everything he hated. The sooner he could end the day, the better.

"Are we going to bed?" the squeaky Russian accent came from below him.

"I am," Hikaru snapped. "Do whatever you want."

"Well, to be completely honest, I've alvays had a bed time until now." Pavel crawled up the ladder and peeked into his roommate's bed. "How late do you stay up? Do you feel rested? I don't want to fall asleep in class, but it's nice to have so much extra time to read!"

Hikaru rolled over to face the wall. "I don't know. Whenever I want. Go to sleep."

"Okay!" Pavel's voice was full of enthusiasm, as if Hikaru had just told him to have candy for dinner, not go to bed.

"Okay. Good. I'm getting up to work out early in the morning. I'll try not to wake you."

"Vork out?" the boy exclaimed. "I'll come! I like to run. Yes, we better sleep eef we are getting up early to run!" He flipped out the lights and clumsily made his way into his loft.

Hikaru rolled over and faced the wall. "I work out alone."

"Oh," Pavel replied, clearly hurt. "Okay. Good night, then." His sheets rustled as they boy rolled over and settled in to get comfortable.

The silence and darkness should have been the perfect sleeping conditions. That's how Hikaru liked it, after all. Quiet. Still. No fans running. No music playing. Yet something nagged him until he sighed again. Was that palpable disappointment from his new roommate? "You can work out with me," Hikaru announced.

Pavel's sheets rustled violently. " _Really?_ " the boy exclaimed. "Great! That would be great! See you in the morning!"

Reminding himself to quit sighing so much, Hikaru closed his eyes. _A kid,_ he mused. _Of all cadets to get stuck with a kid, why me?_


	2. First Day

Pavel had been glued to Hikaru's side all day. Through his workout, breakfast, as he showered and got ready for the day, during more first week StarFleet orientation activities, and now, lunch.

Hikaru's patience had held out much longer than he expected. "You know you don't have to be with someone all the time, right?" he asked. "It's not like you have to have a chaperone. They let you in. You're a normal student. You can go make friends or do whatever _you_ want."

"I-I guess I'm just not used to being alone," the Russian said, his forehead wrinkled in thought.

"Big family?"

"No," Pavel replied. "But I do have a tween seester. She's here, too, but she wants to be an archaeologist. Our parents theenk she's wasting her potential. Anya wanted to try it, though, and promised to go back to physics if she doesn't like it."

"There are _two_ of you?" Sulu exclaimed. "Geeze. You'd think that'd be bigger news around here."

"So I'm technically _not_ ze youngest cadet here," Pavel beamed. "Zat's Anya."

"You're still a kid. Nice try. Why don't you go hang out with her?"

Pavel frowned. "Different classes, different buildings and dorms." In an instant, his smile reappeared. "But I met you, and I'm sure I can meet more friends, right?"

"Yeah, for sure," Hikaru said, hopeful for both the kid _and_ himself.

* * *

Orientation week wrapped up and normal schedules began.

Warp class was Hikaru's least favorite lecture so far. It was Pavel's favorite. Consequently, the entire walk from their room to the lecture hall was filled with the kid babbling about this theory or that theory, equations, calculations, and other things Hikaru couldn't have cared less about. Sure, the stuff was important, but he figured he'd have someone doing the math for him when he was a pilot. He went through the motions and learned as much as he thought was needed. Otherwise he turned all of his attention to his dreams of piloting a StarShip.

"You know what," Hikaru interrupted Pavel's babbling as they sat down at their desks. "Let's save if for class, huh?"

Pavel nodded from beside him. "You're right. Zere will be so much more to talk about after!" He grinned and pulled out his books. Pages rustled as he eagerly flipped to the current chapter.

"Hey, cutie," a disgustingly sweet voice floated through the room.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. The American girls from the desk immediately in front of theirs had set their sites on the Russian kid on day one and tried buttering him up just to get a reaction out of him. Their mockery had been mild enough thus far that Hikaru watched silently, perhaps even in amusement. If things got out of hand, he'd step in. But the kid needed to learn. Sure, he was embarrassed for Pavel, but what had the Academy board thought would happen when you send a 13 year old to an Academy full of adults?

A blonde named Elisa tossed her hair. "Hey, Cutie." Pavel recoiled slightly as she reached out and fingered one of the curls on his forehead. "Gosh, you're just too much."

Hikaru tried to ignore the spectacle. Elisa and her friends had briefly tried the same tricks on him. The fun wore out almost immediately for them. He'd called them out and told them off. Now the only time they paid him any attention was when they took a break from torturing Pavel to shoot him glances that said, " _We don't need you._ "

"We missed you yesterday," a redheaded girl next to Elisa said. She leaned on Pavel's desk, her hand in her chin. "Did you miss us?"

Pavel cleared his throat. "You weren't in class yesterday."

"Yeah, I was sick or something." The redhead, an American named Becca, pouted her lips. When Elisa jabbed her in the side, she nodded. "Oh, Elisa, too. You didn't say if you missed us, cutie."

Glancing to Hikaru for a social cue but finding no assistance, Pavel nodded. "Oh. Of- of course."

Elise sighed dreamily and nudged Becca. "I bet he never misses class. You've never missed a day of class, have you? You're such a good boy."

"No," Pavel replied as he glanced at the clock. "But class starts soon. Maybe we should-"

"Of course you've never missed a day, Cutie!" Elisa tapped the girl at the next desk over, an Orion girl with a nose ring. "You were right. This cutie is a genius."

"Of course he is. Why else would they let someone this young into the Academy? He's probably the smartest one here. No one else here is a genius. He definitely is." The Orion girl winked. "I've always wanted to get to know a genius. You are, right?"

Hikaru watched apprehensively as the kid blushed furiously.

"Yes," Pavel replied, looking from girl to girl, "zey called me zat." A small smile crept to his face.

"Of course," Elisa exclaimed as her friends tittered behind her. "I wish I could know _just_ how smart you are! Maybe you could show me your essay for tomorrow – is yours done?" She batted her eyes. "I'd love to know what you think about-" she trailed off and glanced back at the monitor. "Transport theory."

"Of _course_ my essay is done," Pavel replied in disbelief. "Eet has been done since ze day we got ze assignment." His eyes widened. "Yours _isn't_ done?"

"Oh, mine's done, totally. For sure it's done. Could I see yours, though, maybe? I'd love to read it tonight." The girl glanced at her friend. "You seem like such an interesting man, Mr. Andre. Let me see that big, big brain of yours."

Hikaru sneered and rolled his eyes.

"Pavel Andreievich Chekov," he corrected weakly. "I actually theenk I should keep it, so I haff eet for class tomorrow. Turning in papers late means less points."

"Oh, I can bring it with me. You're just cute _and_ smart! There aren't many guys like you around these parts." She leaned forward on his desk so that her breasts rested on the tabletop. "Please, Pavel?"

"Yeah." Becca did the same. "We'd love to have you help us out."

His discomfort and uncertainty was palpable. As much as Hikaru had been enjoying the overly obvious effort to cheat by the girls, a sudden pang of protectiveness swept over him. "Hey. Pavel."

The boy turned. "Hikaru?" The relief on his face betrayed his level of thankfulness for a distraction.

"Want to compare papers tonight? Mine's done, too." Hikaru tried not to look past Pavel at the trio of mean girls glaring at him. "We can do it after dinner."

"Sure!" Pavel exclaimed. "Sorry," he quickly added to the girls. "I have to help my room mate." He turned back to Hikaru and beamed.

"Good morning, cadets," the instructor called from the front of the class. Pavel sat up at attention, riveted and ready to learn. The girls curled their lips at one another and sneered, turning back to the front of the classroom.

A soft tap on the back caught Hikaru's attention. He glanced over his shoulder. A dark-skinned human woman was smiling kindly at him. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" he hissed. Though he wasn't as terrified of getting in trouble in class as his roommate, he still preferred to keep his squeaky clean record in tact.

She leaned forward. "You know."

"Know what?" Hikaru turned all the way around.

The woman nodded her head toward Pavel. "Looking out."

"Mr. Sulu, Ms. Uhura, is there something pertinent to this discussion we're missing out on?" the instructor, a stern-faced woman, snapped.

"Hikaru," Pavel whispered scandalously. He looked horrified. "Shh!"

"Apologies, Ma'am," Hikaru quickly chimed.

* * *

After dinner, Hikaru and Pavel walked back to their room. A chocolate ice cream cone dripped down Pavel's hand as he tried desperately to lick every drop up.

Scowling, Hikaru decided to go there. "You know those bitches were trying to copy your Warp paper, right?"

Pavel looked up, hurt on his face. "You should not call zem zat."

"They're flirting with a kid to steal his paper. They're bitches."

"I guess." Pavel finished his ice cream with noisy crunching. "And I knew."

"Were you going to give it to them?"

"No," Pavel scoffed. "I didn't know how to say no. She is wery pretty, but wery mean. And she needs a lot of help! Haff you seen her scores?" He looked completely disgusted. "She's going to be on a starsheep some day! Eef I can help her, I might be saving lives!"

Hikaru raised an eyebrow and realized the kid might not be so bad to have around after all.


	3. Lunch

Long eyelashes fluttered across the cafeteria in their direction. A girl – only a little older than Pavel, Hikaru realized – was staring dreamily at their table. More specifically, at Chekov. She was sitting with the medical academy recruits. Thought they chattered happily around her, her attention was fixed on the Russian.

"Looks like you've got an admirer," Sulu suggested.

Uhura looked up to the table Hikaru was nodding toward and beamed back at the Russian. "Oh, Pavel, you really do."

"Hmm?" Pavel looked up from a plateful of spaghetti in interest. "Not Elisa and Becca," he whined. He shrunk down in his chair in an attempt to make himself even smaller. "Zey just vant me to help zem in varp class!"

"Nah. A real admirer," Sulu replied. "Don't look now, but a cute blonde at the medical table is making eyes at you."

Noodles still hanging from his mouth, Pavel whipped his head around so quickly that sauce splattered onto his cheek. The girl giggled and wiggled her fingers at him in a shy wave.

Giggles burst across Nyota's lips. "He said don't look!" She quickly offered a napkin. "Here, here."

"Oh, did you see that?" Pavel exclaimed. He hastily wiped his face. Orange stains streaked across the white napkin. "Who ees zat?" He turned to steal another glance. The girl caught his eye and smiled. A human, she wore bright red lipstick and her presumably long blonde hair braided up into a crown atop her head. An audible gasp popped from Pavel's lips, and the reaction seemed fitting. Instead of waving back, Pavel spun back around in his seat, pale faced. "She is looking at _me?_ " he exclaimed. "She ees beautiful!"

"I hadn't heard about other young cadets enrolled in our class," Nyota commented in surprise. She looked around the cafeteria. "It doesn't look like there are any more kiddos around, though."

"I'm not a kid," Pavel whined. "I'm a cadet."

"Of course," Uhura nodded. "You're definitely smarter than a lot of the jerks here." When he looked back down to his pasta, she made a face a Hikaru that clearly said _oops._

"You should go talk to her." Hikaru shrugged. "She obviously wants you to."

The brilliant red in his cheeks drained. "Vhat? How do you know zat?"

Sulu looked past Pavel to the medical table, where the young recruit was still gazing dreamily at the back of Chekov's curly head. "She's still watching you. _Don't look._ Way to go, Chekov," he congratulated him. "Scoring an older woman!" He clapped Pavel on the shoulder across the table. His annoyance at having the kid as his roommate had burned out without him realizing it. Now a brotherly affection had taken its place and bonded them. Sulu blamed spending virtually every waking _and sleeping_ moment together.

"Talk to her," Pavel marveled to himself. "Go _talk_ to her? What vould I say?" He frowned. "I haff never talked to a girl."

"Sure you have. You talk to Nyota all the time. Plus. You have a twin sister."

"That's right," Uhura smiled. "See? Not hard! Haven't you ever talked to your sister's friends?"

Pavel stared at them doubtfully. "Anya isn't a real girl, and neither are her ridiculous friends. I don't know what to say to a _real_ girl." Sighing, he leaned on his hand, spaghetti long forgotten. "And I thought ze physics exam was my biggest worry." A pout came to his bottom lip. "I took my simple life for granted. Theengs were much easier before zis lunch."

Realizing the boy was dead serious, Hikaru nodded sympathetically. "Sure. Relationships are tough. But you've got us to help you out."

"You've had girlfriends?" Pavel asked in relief. Before Hikaru could correct him, Pavel continued. "Good! You can help me. She's so pretty, but I don't know what I'd even say. What if she theenks I'm stupid?" He muttered something in Russian. "What if _she_ isn't intelligent?" Panic passed his face.

Nyota shook her head animatedly. "I don't think that's a problem. She looks about two years older than you. Everyone else here is 18 or 19. Believe me. That cadet isn't dumb," Sulu replied.

The boy's face brightened again. "Okey, okey. I'm going to go talk to her! I'll valk ower there and say sometheeng."

"That's how it's done," Nyota nodded. Under the table, she was nudging Hikaru as they both tried not to laugh at the dramatic scene unfolding before them.

When Pavel mustered the courage, he stood up turned toward the medical table. His face fell and shoulders slumped. They'd already left. "Vhell, derr mo."

"Derr mo?" Nyota repeated in a motherly tone. " _Pavel._ "

"Sorry," he chimed, the tips of his ears turning red. "I deedn't know you spoke Russian."

"Enough to know that's a vulgar word, young man. That's _not_ how you're going to charm a girl."

Hikaru rolled his eyes as Pavel seemed to melt back into his seat. "Zat's okay. I vasn't sure vhat to say to her, anyway. First impressions are everytheeng!"

"The spaghetti on the face may have taken care of that, dear," Nyota said kindly.

When Pavel turned bright red again and let his head meet the table with a soft _thunk_ , Hikaru and Nyota laughed.


	4. Out

Pavel feverishly tapped on the keypad, occasionally muttering English letters as he mentally translated his thoughts from Russian to English. The tip-tapping of his fingertips hammered through the silence in the room.

After a few minutes, Hikaru looked over the side of his bunk, where he'd been messaging back and forth with another cadet. "Hey," he said. "Are you really working on that physics paper already? It's not due for a week."

A stern look on his face, Pavel glanced up from his desk. "You _aren't_ verking on it?"

"Haven't even started. I have an entire week to work on it!"

Pavel leaned back in his chair and looked up at Hikaru in absolute dismay. "But zere vill be another paper due by zen. Efferyone has sed Instructor Spock ees notorious for assigning big papers last meenute! Ve need time set aside for zat paper later! Vhat are you doing zat's so important to keep you from homeverk, anyway?"

Hikaru didn't look away from his communicator. "Talking to someone."

"Who? Are zey in class? Are _zey_ verking on ze physics paper?"

"It's no one."

Pavel jumped out of his seat and peered up into Hikaru's bunk. "You said someone. It can't be no one. Ees eet a girl?!" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Hikaru put his communicator down and sat up. "Uh, no."

Practically squealing, Pavel pointed at him accusingly. "You hesitated! Eet ees!" He shimmied back and forth excitedly. "Ooh, Hikaru has a girlfriend!" He danced around the room. "Hikaru has a girlfriend! Hikaru has a girlfriend!"

For the months leading up to Academy, Hikaru had role-played this moment dozens of times with himself, his family, his close friends. How was he going to tell his roommate that he was gay? After hours of mock conversations, he finally felt confident in telling a roommate of any species that he was, in fact, homosexual. But the one scenario he hadn't prepared for was looping a _kid_ in.

"Eet's okay," Pavel announced. "I von't tell anyone until you're ready. Can I meet her? Ees she going to _stay here?_ " He suddenly looked very unnerved. "Do I haff to clean my desk? I don't vant her to get mad and theenk _you_ are the cluttered one. I know vhere everything ees, though, I swear!" He eyed the piles of papers on his desk.

"Hey, uh," Hikaru muttered. "You're sorta right."

"Sorta?" One of Pavel's eyebrows quirked into an intrigued arch.

"It's not exactly a girlfriend. You might want to sit down."

Suddenly serious as the grave, Pavel sat, his hands folded in his lap as he looked intently up at his roommate. "Okey."

"Sometimes people are attracted to the same gender. Like, guys liking guys. And it's normal, and nothing wrong with people like that." Hikaru studied Pavel's reaction intently, making sure to pick up on any non-verbal clue he could.

Pavel nodded as if listening to a lecture in class. "Yes."

Hikaru sighed. "Would you be weirded out if I said I didn't message girls?"

"No," Pavel blinked. "Are you gay?"

"Yes." A weight lifted from him immediately. Hikaru nodded. "I am gay. I'm texting a guy I _hope_ will be my boyfriend."

"Okey?" Pavel continued to peer up at him.

Hikaru wondered if something wasn't translating. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Pavel sucked in his cheeks as he thought. "I thought I did, but maybe zere's something I'm missing. Vhy am I sitting down?"

"I wanted to tell you there might be a guy over here sometime."

"So – are you keecking me out of ze room vhen he comes?" Pavel frowned, clearly hurt. "Vhere vill I go? Ze lounge is so loud, and I von't be able to do my homeverk."

"No, I just – what?" Hikaru actually laughed. "So you don't care that I'm gay?"

"No," Pavel scoffed. "Ees zat vhy you told me to sit down?" He rolled his eyes. "You might haff all day to chat, but I haff homeverk!" Turning back to his screen, he gave a word of caution. "I'll be wery disappointed eef your relationships affect your homeverk, Hikaru."

A message popped up on Hikaru's communicator that made him blush. "Well, I'm glad you don't mind, kid."


	5. Friday

Music pumped and vibrated through Pavel's chest. Someone pressed a drink into his hand. He considered sampling it, but had heard enough stories about cadets getting ill due to botched replicated drinks. Plus, Hikaru would murder him if he came home sick and needing someone to look after him.

The first week cadet mixer was happening in one of the bigger dormitories' lounges. Lasers and strobing flashes lit the way and disoriented the Russian. Hikaru had split off to join his crush, instructing Pavel to go talk to Nyota. But before he'd reached her, the crowd had shifted, Nyota disappeared, and Pavel was navigating the party on his own.

" _No way!"_ a squeal pierced his ear.

Grimacing, Pavel turned. "Elisa, h-hello."

The American girl was wiggling to the music in a low cut shirt. Pavel gritted his teeth and focused on her bloodshot eyes.

"Cutie. I can't believe you're here. Dance with me!" She grabbed his shirt and pulled him against her.

Pavel recoiled. Elisa was drenched in sweat and reeked of liquor. "I- I'm actually looking for someone. And I don't dance."

"Aw, cutie, I can teach you. It's easy. You're going to have all _sorts_ of other cadets wanting to dance with you," she cooed, writhing against him. "And _dance_ with you, if you know what I mean." Drunk laughter bubbled out of her as she winked and licked her teeth.

"No, no, zat's, uh, no, thanks." Pavel turned and pushed his way through the crowd, making sure to put plenty of bodies between him and Elisa. He sighed at the thought of her and wondered if somehow hormones would make _him_ that ridiculous in a few years. _Please, no!_

"Hey," a gruff voice came. An older man in a leather jacket snatched Pavel by the arm. "Aren't you a little young to be here?" A southern drawl ran his words together like honey. Though he was perhaps in his upper thirties, old for a cadet, everything about him oozed authority.

That was comforting to a thirteen year old at an Academy party. "Yes," Pavel exclaimed earnestly. "I'm just looking for someone."

"Your babysitter?" The man pulled Pavel along toward the door. "Come on. I just sent one of _our_ kids home for the night."

"Your kids?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Not _my_ kid. My kid's home with my ex on Earth. I meant a medical cadet. Like me, except she's fifteen. I'm...not."

Pavel nodded enthusiastically. "Ees she blonde? I haff been wondering about her! What's her name?"

"Bones!" another voice interrupted. A wiry, younger man bounded over. "Bones? He's here. Can you believe that? At a cadet mixer! And to top it off, that Vulcan prick is talking to Uhura. You don't think-?" He stopped and raised an eyebrow at Pavel. "Oh. Babysitting, Bones?"

"He's here looking for Cat, or so he says," Bones growled. He ran a hand over his stubble.

"Greenberg? She's a cute kid. We took the same shuttle in, remember, Bones?" the younger man asked. He wiggled his eyebrows at Pavel. "A fitting conquest, sir." He chuckled. "James T. Kirk."

"Pavel Andreievich Chekov," he replied as James enthusiastically shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, James."

"Call me Jim," he grinned. "This is Bones. Leonard McCoy. He's medical. That's why he's bouncing you," Jim explained. He followed as Bones pushed through the crowd toward an exit.

"I'm bouncing him because I've got a kid his age back home." Bones offered a somewhat less stern expression to Pavel. "You might be the Russian whiz kid everyone has been talking about, but you don't need to be here. It's for your own good. Got it?"

"Aye," Pavel agreed. "I vas vith my roommate, but he had to go talk to his boyfriend. I vas trying to find Uhura, but zen she disappeared."

"Wait," Jim called over the chatter and pounding music. "You know Uhura?"

"Off course," Pavel replied. "She seets with me at lunch and ees een my classes."

"Excellent," Jim nodded, a wide grin spreading across his handsome face. "So, maybe sometime I'll swing by your table. You could introduce us?" He eyed an Orion girl who danced across his path.

Bones rolled his eyes. "Ignore him. If we see her, we'll tell her where you are. Same for – what's his name? Hikardi?"

"Hikaru Sulu," Jim replied. "Yeah, I know the guy."

They finally reached the door and spilled through into the fresh, cooler air. Bones had taken them to a lounge in the medical dormitory wing. Seated with a book in her lap was Cat Greenberg- the same girl who had been smiling at Pavel in the cafeteria. She looked up in surprise.

"Cat Greenberg." Bones nodded. "Look who else we found at the party. Another kid! Meet – what's your name, again, kid? Chekov?"

"Pavel Chekov," he breathed.

Bones nodded. "Right. Anyway, I trust you two geniuses will find something to do and keep out of the party. Your bodies aren't mature enough to process alcohol yet. You know that, Cat. Stay out of there." He turned to Jim. "I don't even want to go back to the party. Can we call it a night?"

"Not a chance. Come on, Bones!" James called out. "Upward and onward." He winked at Pavel. "See you for lunch Monday, yeah?"

The doors closed behind the men as they sauntered back toward the party.

Pavel stood awkwardly in the suddenly crushing silence, his hands in his pockets. "Uh, hello!" he offered shyly.

"Hi." Cat blushed from behind her book. Her cheeks matched her bright red lipstick. "I wasn't at the party to drink," she said quietly. "If that's what you think." She brushed a wisp of loose hair back into her braids.

"Oh, no," Pavel exclaimed, sheepishly walking around and leaning on the arm of the couch. "Me, either."

"Were you there with friends?" Cat asked. She set her book down. "You could sit, if you wanted."

He did. "Yes! Vell, no. My roommate left to talk to someone and I got separated from my other friend."

"Well, I'll say it," Cat giggled. "I was looking for you. I'm Cat Greenberg. And you're Pavel Chekov. The 13 year-old Russian genius. Everyone talks about you. You're the youngest human to be accepted into the Academy." She smiled and giggled again. "I thought I'd be all alone with a bunch of older kids, but I'm glad you're here, too. I'm 15. But I just turned 15."

"I'm almost 14," Pavel replied proudly. Perhaps his birthday was still three weeks off, but being 14 seemed more attractive than being 13. "Practically ze same age." The ease with which he was thinking of things to say thrilled him. _Maybe talking to girls isn't so hard, after all!_

"I like your accent," Cat said.

"I don't haff an accent," Pavel replied playfully. " _You_ haff an accent. Fortunately, I theenk American accents are cute."

Cat giggled. "Do you want to play a game?" She pointed back toward a shelf. "I've been practicing chess."

"Sure!" Pavel loved chess, and realized that he might love Cat Greenberg, too.


	6. Chess

**Author's Note: My apologies for the hiatus! I got wrapped up in a few other stories and a wedding. I'm still here!  
**  
School life was fantastic.

Pavel Chekov strolled cheerfully down the hallway, Hikaru at his side, on their way to lunch after advanced calculus. Their routine was solid by now, after a few months of fine-tuning. They hung out during certain times of the day, and spent certain evenings apart with different groups of friends. Though Pavel highly suspected that the older cadet was annoyed to be placed in the same dorm at first, he was pretty sure they were friends by now. And that was awesome.

"Vhat are you doing tonight?" Pavel asked. "Your homeverk ees done, right?"

Sulu nodded. "Yeah. There's actually a party I was going to check out with Jim. Meet some new people. You hanging out with Cat?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Pavel blushed. "Vhell, eet _is_ Friday night."

"Chess and popcorn?" Sulu grinned at the kid, who was somehow less kid-ish than when they'd first met. He cocked an eyebrow and wondered if Pavel had sprouted up a few inches in only a matter of three months. Blinking, he turned his head to the other side and squinted. _When did Chekov grow so much?_

"Aye," Chekov nodded excitedly. "Cat says she has been practicing with a nursing student, but I'm not vorried." He flashed a confident grin. "No one can beat Pavel Chekov at chess."

A few minutes later, the replicator had spit out a giant salad for Hikaru and an assortment of Mexican food for Pavel. They joined Uhura at their usual table. She looked up from her soup, studied their selections, and giggled. "You two are too much."

Pavel sat down and dug into his tamales with both hands. "Vhy?" He wiped sauce from the corners of his mouth unceremoniously. Cat was in classes over lunch on Friday. Her absence meant he didn't have to pay attention to looking suave.

Counting on her fingers, Nyota listed off the roommates' weekly menu. "Monday's spaghetti day, then Tuesday is meat and potatoes. Wednesday Chinese, Thursday breakfast for lunch, and Friday is free day. Right?"

Hikaru and Pavel nodded to each other. "Yeah. So?"

Nyota laughed. "You're both so weird. Why don't you just eat what you want every day instead of having a schedule?"

"A schedule gives you something to look forward to," Hikaru shrugged. "It's practical."

"We like it zat way," Pavel added. "Eef eet eesn't broken, don't fix eet." He looked to Sulu. "Zat's how ze saying goes, yes?"

"Yes," Sulu nodded proudly. "Well done."

"Okay. You're just two peas in a pod," she smiled. "Don't ever change." Suddenly she groaned and wrinkled her nose. "Here comes-"

"Hey, Chekov!" a friendly voice came. "Funny runnin' into you here, right?" Jim Kirk clapped Pavel on the shoulder and sat down next to him. "Anyone sitting here? I could use some conversation with my favorite Russian." One of his eyebrows betrayed him and quirked as he glanced at Uhura.

"Nice try." Nyota rolled her eyes. "I'm not interested."

"Interested in my conversation with Mr. Chekov? Of course you aren't," Jim quickly recovered. "So I guess we'll just have to have it later. See you later, kid." He slapped Pavel again, causing him to choke on his nachos.

Pavel lifted a hand in a lazy goodbye after the fact. "He'll be back," he assured the table.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Nyota scoffed. "I wish he'd just get a girlfriend so he'd leave me alone!" She stabbed at her wild rice too aggressively. It jumped off of her plate and landed all over the table.

"We're going to a party tonight on the engineers' hall. I'll try to push him off onto someone unpleasant." Hikaru grinned.

"You vouldn't," Pavel replied. "Vould you? He can be, vhell, something, but you shouldn't subject someone else to him!"

"Thanks, Pav," Uhura grinned. "A true champion for femalekind."

"I try," Pavel nodded happily. "Thanks for noticing!"

* * *

The lounge was empty when Pavel shuffled in with his chess board under his arm. Tonight was Cat's turn to bring popcorn.

He made himself comfy on the couch and set up the chess board. Once the board was set up, he thought for a moment before rotating it so that the white pieces sat waiting for Cat. Pavel grinned. "Perfect," he announced to the room. When the door swung open and the blonde medical student entered, he beamed and felt the word in his heart. _Perfect._

A few hours later, when the popcorn had run out and the fourth game had been won, Cat sighed, but didn't look sad or frustrated. Her big blue eyes flickered up and met his. "Well played, Pavel."

"I'm glad you're not a sore loser, Cat." The game pieces rattled together as he scooped them into their box. "My seester stopped playing with me after I beat her too many times. I'm glad you haff such a good attitude about losing!"

"Well, I didn't _really_ lose."

"No, you _definitely_ lost," Pavel chuckled as he folded the board and tucked it neatly into its case. "You left your queen undefended! Zat's ze vorst theeng you can-"

When he looked back up, he found Cat leaning across the table; her face mere inches from his. "Oh," he breathed. His brain, which was usually bursting with thoughts, screeched to a halt. The numbness spread to his limbs and Pavel found himself incapable of moving.

A smile lit up Cat's face. "I think a consolation prize could keep me coming back for our Friday night chess dates."

"Dates," Pavel breathed. "Yes."

"I mean," Cat explained, a pink blush leaking into her cheeks, "it's only fair, right?"

"Right." Pavel's heart hammered so hard in his chest he wondered for a moment if he should go to the med bay. When Cat's eyes blinked shut and she slowly moved toward him, he couldn't have cared less if his heart exploded then and there.

When Hikaru returned to Dorm 3A later that night, a little drunk and very sleepy, he was greeted by Pavel, who was all but bouncing off the walls. "I vill nefer be able to sleep," Pavel sang out to the room. "Zere's so much I haff to tell you!"


	7. Wrapping Up

**Author's Note: So sorry for the delay! I got wrapped up with a wedding and a bunch of travel. Sorry to wrap this one up so quick, but I wanted to give some closure!**

Christmas came and went, and as the year sped by, Pavel and Hikaru found that had they not been roommates, perhaps they'd have willingly become friends.

Pavel, finished with his homework before Hikaru as usual, leaned back in his chair and watched his roomie for a moment before blurting out, "Who're you seeing, Mr. Sulu? Zey're whispering about it in classes and the girls keep asking me."

Hikaru blushed. "A Cardassian."

"Which one?" Pavel tried to recall the Cardassians he knew. None of them struck his as particularly suited to Hikaru.

He sighed and turned away from his homework. "Makov."

"Makov? Isn't he-?"

Hikaru interrupted. "We're just hanging out. It's not like we're going to get married. It's good to date people different from you, right?"

"Different," Pavel grumbled. He didn't _dislike_ the Cardassians as a whole, but he certainly had no warm fuzzies for Makov. He was the ringleader of his clique and had a bad reputation for being a user and abuser. He had a new date every week and tossed them to the side like trash when they were old news and the next flavor of the week came along.

Hikaru frowned. "What? What's that look on your face?"

"Nothing!" Pavel forced a smile. "I vas just curious. Zat's all." His stomach churned, but maybe Sulu was right. Not everyone out there could be Cat Greenberg. He prided himself on being accepting. This seemed like a good opportunity. Makov was going to get nothing but a warm welcome.

* * *

Pavel's first chance came at lunch the next afternoon. He missed his usual break to tutor a classmate and took a later lunch, missing his friends. Sitting alone didn't bother him in terms of loneliness; he'd be able to finish up some homework this way. But he did miss the camaraderie Nyota and Hikaru usually provided. He opened a homework assignment and got to work over lunch.

A familiar voice drew his attention. Makov walked toward his table with a friend, the usual swagger in his step and glint in his eye. Pavel raised his hand to wave him over, but another group of cadets called Makov to the table next to him. Slightly embarrassed, Pavel quickly dropped his hand into his lap and turned back to his caesar salad and homework. _I'll just wait for Hikaru._

When someone at the next table over mentioned Hikaru, Pavel's ears perked up and he couldn't help but eavesdrop. Using his PADD as cover, he peeked over at the conversation.

"Where's that Sulu guy? Your new boyfriend, right?" an Andorian asked. She winked. "I thought you were bringing him to the table today, Makov. You know we like to meet your new toys."

Makov sneered. "He's working on some project in the library. I'm about to give up on him and move on. He's playing too hard to get. Wants too much emotional stuff."

 _No!_ Pavel thought in a panic. _I was right!_

"Yeah right," a voice Pavel knew belonged to Elisa's redheaded friend Hannah came. "You can't give up a conquest."

 _Conquest?_ Pavel thought in concern. He stole another glance at the table. None of the cadets Makov was sitting with were of particularly upstanding quality. Pavel wished he had a way to record the conversation stealthily.

"True," Makov agreed. "I can't. I'll play nice and hopefully he's nice in the sack." He guffawed.

"Why him, anyway?" Hannah asked. "We're in a few classes together. He's so stuck up. How can you stand talking to him? It's not even worth it."

Pavel's lip twitched.

"I've never had a male human." Makov laughed. "And he's more than willing, throwing himself out there to anyone who'll pay attention to him. I'll have him biting his pillow Friday and have someone else by Sunday afternoon."

As the table tittered, Pavel's jaw dropped. His appetite was gone.

* * *

Pavel was in bed when Hikaru finally came back to the room later that night. "Where heff you been?" he exclaimed.

Sulu jumped and flipped the room lights on. "Geeze, with Nyota, working on the project for-"

"Good, not with Makov?"

Sulu grinned. "I wasn't. Now I am."

The Cardassian strolled into the room behind Sulu, a smug grin on his face. "I didn't know your roommate would be here."

Pavel's stomach suddenly weighed a million pounds. "Vhat's he doing here?" he snarled. "Eet's late. Time for bed, Hikaru."

"What's _he_ doing here?" Makov repeated mockingly. "I didn't know you were babysitting." From behind Hikaru, he glared Pavel's way, his eyes narrow and teeth bared.

It was probably the first time anyone defied him, Pavel realized. Still, he scowled back.

"It's cool, Pav," Hikaru tried to diffuse the situation. "We're just hanging out. It's cool."

The older cadet nodded and grinned. "Yeah." When Hikaru looked away, Makov shot another dirty look Pavel's way before mouthing, "Shut up."

"Vhell," Pavel desperately thought. "I vas hoping for some help. It's a personal theeng. Not homeverk. No one else can help. It's a _crisis."_

"Is that why you're so weird?" Hikaru asked, frowning. "Is it Cat?"

"Y-yes," Pavel nodded, thankful his roomie came up with the explanation for him. "Eet cannot vait! Postpone your _date_ for another night when I'm not heartbroken and- and considering leaving ze academy!" He made his lip quiver and eyes water for good measure. _Perfection._

"Pav!" Hikaru gasped. "Makov, I'm – I've gotta help him out."

"This child," the Cardiassian growled. "Is desperate for your attention. Let's go back to my place." His eyes, already dull, grew cold.

Pavel could feel the annoyance radiating from him. "Please, Karu," Pavel managed. "I'm sorry to interrupt! I vaited all night for you to get home. Zere's no one else I can talk to about this."

"Yeah, Pav," Hikaru nodded. "I've got you. Makov, I'm really sorry. Tomorrow, after class, how about dinner?"

"Screw off," he snarled, already halfway out the door.

Hikaru stood in shock as the door slammed and he was left with Chekov. "I- why was he so mad? What an ass. What's wrong? What happened with Cat?"

Pavel scratched the back of his neck. "Um, eet's something zat happened in ze caf zis afternoon."

"Ah, man. Was she with someone else?"

"I lied."

Sulu raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Hit me from the beginning."

Pavel dove into the story, dutifully repeating every word, not afraid to offend his friend's sensibilities. Not with his reputation and heart at risk. When he'd finished, it felt like he was a balloon with the air let out. It felt good. Pavel exhaled in relief, glad he didn't have to hold that toxic mess in any longer.

Nodding, Hikaru sighed. "All right." He turned to his desk and started his homework routine.

"Aren't – aren't you going to stay something?"

He shrugged. "No. That's that, then. I'm disappointed, but it's not like I was in love with him. I appreciate it."

"I thought you might be mad."

Hikaru laughed. "Mad? Why?"

Pavel smiled sadly. "I want you to be happy. With someone good! You seemed happy, but I couldn't let him go through with it."

Hikaru grinned at the Russian and wondered how he'd ever wished the kid wasn't his roomie. "I trust you with my life, Pav. C'mon. Help me out with this navigation mess. And I don't want to hear about putting it off. I know, I know."

* * *

Hikaru watched silently as commotion buzzed around him. Three years had flown by. Though he hated to admit it, with Pavel's help, he'd accelerated through his classwork and was graduating early with Uhura's class. Emotion had been ebbing and flowing as graduation approached. The countdown was on: it was a few weeks out. Their floor, the party floor again, thanks to Pavel, was throwing their own mixer and people were filing in and out of their room.

"Hikaru, hello," Anya Chekov greeted him with a peck on the cheek. "Here. You look like you need a wodka." She pushed a cup into his hand. "Vhy so glum?"

"I can't believe it's over," he lamented. "I really liked it here. My friends. Chekov."

Anya smiled. "Vhell, theengs haff a way of verking out, don't zey? Besides, zere's so much more time! An entire month, almost." She clapped him on the back. "Vhere's my brother, anyway?"

"Find Cat and you'll find Pavel."

"Hikaru," Anya scolded. "In a month vhen it actually ees graduation, you'll vish you hadn't wasted zis party moping and feeling sorry for yourself. Zere's plenty of time for zat in ze wastness of space." She winked before turning to search for her twin in another room.

She couldn't find him there. Moments later, Cat Greenberg, with her permanent smile, blonde braids, and red lipstick, bounced into the room. Pavel, with his lipstick stained lips, was right behind her. "Hikaru!" he cheered, strolling over and throwing an arm around his neck.

At that moment Hikaru realized how much had happened in three years. The shy, curly headed Russian whiz kid had exploded into a charming, curly headed Russian genius navigator. His lopsided grin lit a fire in Hikaru; nostalgia, growth, pride, brotherly love.

 _Things have a way of working out._ Hikaru smiled at the sentiment. They sure did. Without Pavel, would this party even be happening right now? Would he have graduated so high in his class, and with so many friends? Perhaps. Perhaps not. He was pleased that he didn't have to worry. Life was good.

"Pav," Sulu choked. "You're my best friend, you know that?"

"Off course I knot zat," Pavel guffawed. "Zere was any question?!" He clapped Sulu on the shoulder. "You haff had much to drink, yes?"

Sulu laughed and nearly spilled his drink when Jim Kirk stumbled into him.

"Mr. Sulu!" Jim exclaimed, raising a bottle of liquor high. "Here's to us! Here's to the smartest bastards in the galaxy!"

Sulu and Pavel chuckled and raised their glasses. Soon, the trend caught on and the entire room was toasting to themselves.

Jim grinned wildly. "To boldly go!"

Pavel and Sulu clinked glasses, not knowing what the future held, but each knowing they'd have a friend for life.


End file.
